Yep, American and United airlines are adding new fees for the 2 busiest days around the holidays: Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Oh, but they have labeled it a “fuel surcharge” – uhhh, yeah. This fee, I mean surcharge, is for most of their fares for travel on Nov. 29th, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, as well as Jan. 2nd and 3rd. American apparently added the new fee this past Wednesday the 23rd and United promptly matched it on Thursday the 24th. And you know how that goes.. who’s next to add?

This being said, we all know the truth of the newest fee. It is not a fuel surcharge, it is a quick, fast and easy way to charge more on what we all know are busy travel days, but packaged in terms we have come to accept. Period. Really, I am not even sure why airlines even try to use smoke and mirrors and don’t just come clean and say, “yes, it is a holiday surcharge and you are you going to do about it?”

UPDATE: As expected, other airlines quickly jumped on board. Now, thanks to American, Delta, Northwest, United, Continental, and US Airways all piled on. Oh, and they added more dates as well! Nov. 30; Dec. 19, 26, and 27; March 14, 20, 21, 28; April 11; and May 28.